Oliver Purnell

RICHMOND — As Clemson’s head coach, Oliver Purnell hired Will Wade as a student manager and promoted him twice, to graduate assistant and director of basketball operations. When Wade ascended to assistant coaching positions at Harvard and VCU, Purnell tried to lure him back. What Purnell saw was a 20-year-old history major who wanted far more than the typical manager. Hang out with the team? Jet around the ACC? Impress a coed or three? Not nearly enough. “Every day he was there 5:30, 6 o’clock in the morning,” Purnell said. “He was there late at night. … Whenever I needed something, he seemed to be standing right there. … He has all the...

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Big East tournament: Lost to Creighton in quarterfinals.
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